Carton closing machine



Feb: 4,1958 H. H. HAW Em 1 2,821,827

CARTON CLOSING MACHINE A T 'TURA/Ens Feb. 4, 1958 H. H. sHvAw ET AL2,821,827 K CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS HUGH H. SHAW MART/N SANDERSON HAROLD BRADSHAW ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent O CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Hugh H. Shaw, Martin I.Sanderson, and Harold G. Bradshaw, Salinas, Calif., assignors to CochranEquipment Company, Salinas, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication January 23, 1956, Serial No. 560,717

7 Claims. (Cl. 53-124) This invention relates to a closing machine forcartons, and more particularly to an improved machine of this type whichis especially adapted, in connection with cartons lled with produce,such as lettuce, and the like, to buttress all four of the side walls ofthe carton while causing the closure iiaps of the carton to be moved toa closed position for sealing.

The subject apparatus constitutes an improvement over the apparatusdisclosed in a commonly owned co-pending application, Serial Number506,937, iiled May 9, 1955. Both the apparatus disclosed in saidco-pending application, and the improved apparatus forming the subjectmatter of the present application are adapted to be embodied in a fieldcrop packing machine of the type which is employed to harvest and packeld produce, such as lettuce. The machine of said co-pending applicationoperates to fold a pair of oppositely disposed side walls of alettuce-filled carton against outward bulging asl it moves the closureaps of the carton to a closed position for sealing. It is now requiredthat such lettuce-filled cartons have all four side walls thereofretained in against outward lbulging when the closure flaps are closedfor sealing.

The essential object of the present invention is to ernbody means in themachine of the co-pending application whereby said machine may beadapted to act on all four side Walls, instead of merely two, during thecarton closing operation.

(lther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the drawings formingpart of this speciiication, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the carton closing machine of thepresent invention, with one of the closure ap presser plates being shownin dotted outline to prevent masking of the machine parts disposedbehind said presser plate;

Figure 2 is a view taken along lines 2-2 of Figure l of the right halfof the machine;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the cartonside holding elements in operative position;

Figure 4 is a detail View taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail view taken along lines 5--5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is another detail view taken along lines 6-6 of Figure 3.

With immediate reference to Figure l, the machine comprises arectangular frame 10 having integral therewith legs 12, a pair ofchannel members 14 secured to frame 10 at oppositely disposed sides ofthe top thereof, a plurality of conveyor rollers 16, and pair ofoppositely disposed carton closing assemblies indicated generally at 18and 20.

The carton closing assembly 18 comprises a vertically disposed plate 22,a plate, a plate 24 having a hinge con- ICE ing into sleeve membersiixedly secured to frame 10 and being adjustably secured thereto, as byset screws 32. The plate 22 has also secured thereto a bar 34 which isprovided at its lower end with means for pivotally mounting the lowerend of a two-way acting hydraulic cylinder 36. The piston rod 38 ofcylinder 36 is pivotally secured, as by pin 4t) to an arm 42, said armhaving a forked end 44 which is Xedly secured, as by welding, to plate24.

The carton closing assembly 20 comprises plate 46 secured to posts 48which are supported in sockets 50 attached to a transversely disposedplate member 52 forming part of a wheel supported carriage assemblywhich is supported on guide rails carried by frame 1t) below conveyorroller 16. Plate 54 is provided with a hinge connection 56 with plate46, and plate 54 has associated therewith, Vin the manner described forplate 24, the two-way acting lhydraulic cylinder 58.

The machine, as thus far described, corresponds to the machine which isdisclosed in further detail in the aforesaid co-pending application. Asdisclosed in said application, when a lettuce-filled carton is broughtonto the roller conveyor 16, control means are actuated to cause ahydraulic cylinder to move the carriage supporting carton closingassembly 20 inwardly of frame 10 to cause plates 22 and 46 to pressagainst oppositely disposed side walls of the carton, and at the sam-etime the cylinders nection 26 with plate 22, cylindrical post members 28tfuedly secured to plate 22said post members 28 extend- L to impartclockwise rotation to lever arm 74 and swing4 36 and 58 are actuated tocause the plates 24 and 54 to pivot downwardly and press the closureflaps of the carton to a closed position.

The following elements have been added to the machine to convert it to amachine which will retain all four side Walls of the lettuce-lilledcarton against outward bulging when the closure ap presser plates 24 and54 are moved downwardly. Carton closing assembly 20 is provided with anarm 6l) which upon endward movement of the carriage supporting theassembly is pivoted to press against the end of the carton, as shown inFigure 3, and said assembly is further provided with another arm 62which upon endward movement of the assembly to the carton engagingposition is moved forwardly to be in a position to retain the other endwall of the carton against bulging, as also shown in Figure 3.

The arm 60 is secured to a shaft 64 which is journalled for rotation insleeve member 66 secured to plate member 52 and within semi-sleeve 68carried by stub arm 70 which is secured to plate 46. A set collar 72(see Figure 4) attached to shaft 64 abuts the upper end of sleeve 66 andsupports the shaft for rotation. Secured to the lower end of shaft 64 isa lever arm 74 which is pinned toa clevis 76. A second clevis 78 ispinned to a side arm 122 of lever arm 82, and the two clevises 76 and 78are connected together by a rod 80 having threaded ends of oppositehand. Lever arm 82 is pivotally connected to a fixed arm 84 which issecured to the transverse plate member 52. Lever arm 82 is provided atits free end with a roller 86 which engages a track member 88 having acurved end 90. The track member 83 is secured to frame 10forlongitudinal positional adjustment, as by bolts 92 extending throughelongated slots, not shown, formed in the track member. Tension springsand 94 interconnect lever arm 82 and clevis 76, respectively, with frame10.

When a lettuce-lilled carton 96 is moved onto the conveyor 16 betweenplates 22 and 46 and when plate 46 is caused to be moved toward thecarton in the manner described in detail in the aforesaid co-pendingapplication, lever arm 82 is caused to swing in a counterclockwisedirection, with reference to Figures 2 and 3, and the roller 86 moves upthe curved end 9i) of track member 88,v

thereby causing the clevis aud rod arrangement 76-80 sealed, the springs92lland 94 cause thearm `6 0 and 1the lever coit'rol'fsystemtherefor to'move ifr''n'the 'position Figure 3; te the positie a sure 2; rnp a: arm6o does 'resultare-re vrithrtuereuiorarffom trie veyorofv'thesealedf'carton; t

TheV factthat 'trie track member l884 i's11b1'gituiiil1yadjustable'audthe further fa'c't that the clcvifsesf and 78` may bemoved either lcloseruftogieth'e'r" or farther' apart' by' selectiverotation of 'rod 80" 'renders tric" arrriA '60'A and lever controlsystem therefor capable 'f'jp ""er opera- P tion in the manner'descr'bed'regrdlessjuof 'the 'width'of' the particularcait'dn be'iriaeted"'pon. Thus, by nj'vi'rg' the track'rnernberfSS tothe lefLwithreferenceftoFiigires 2 and 3, the arrnovvill be Caused 'to l'i'aVea Y90"movement for a lesser distance "of movement 'towardtlec'art ofcartonclosmgass'embly 20: Such left'w'ald adjustment of the` track memb'ervadapts the" machine to act' u'pon cartons of greaterV width than'carton96. O`n the other hand, when track member'88 is adjll'sted: to'thef'r'i'ght, the machine is' adapted to a'ct poncartonshavihg'a'lesserwidth than carto'n' 96; 'Rod' 80 is in each -case adjusted: inaccordance with the positional4 adjustment of the traek member.V I

Arm szfi'smouiitcd iua s1idelwayf'9s1which has-:infami 100integral"therewith'seured'to plat'el. rm"62 i's Iprirvided' with-an':actuating arm 102' havinganelongated 'slt 10:41 at one end through'which a' pi`11"106 carried by' arm 62` extends, with' said' arm 102*having a' p in :1508"at" the4 other end thereof residing with averticallyl 'elongated slot 110 formed in bracket member112'i7'redlyse'cured to frame 10. The heads o`f pins 106k and108-areof`grea'ter diameter tha'n the width of the respective4 slots10:21 v and 110' associated therewith. Another arm 1121:'fix'edly'fcon-4nected to plate 46 is'fpivotallyconnected at 116 `'to arm102v.

When the carton closing assembly '20 is-moved from the position ofyFigureA 5 to that of Figure 6, arm f6`2iis" moved forwardly|- through`slide way' 9'8i'to' ay retaining "posii tionwith respect "to Ithe otherrend'of carton 926:. y'In or'der to 'prevent damage to the endl wall ofthe' carton, the armI 62` is-provided with a roundedlend 1181 When'th'eassernbly isv withdrawn to fthef'cartonf release position, Aatil'62' is'caused to return tothe Apcasition o'f Figure 55 vtfhereV it isnot in the way of thenext'cartn to be fil'noi/edorito-4 the Conveyor 16ySl'ot 104 adapts the Iassentially'ac'iate movement of a'rm- 1:02 to thelinear movement f'fa 62,

movingf said@ one' plate; the combination' therewith' of rs'tl arm'means connected to one' end yof'sai'd one plate-adaptedupon movement of-saidone plate toward thefotlrer 'o'f said'plates to be swung-intoa-rig'h't angled'fpsition with respect to said one plate to embrace an'end' of ai ille'dlv carton supported by saidl frame, and second'armfmeansf connectedto the other' endl of said o'ne plateadapt'edfuip'onmovement of said one plate toward the otherofsaid.platesA to be projected transversely lof` said frame to embracethe other end of a lilled carton 'supportedfby's'aid frame', whereby theside anden'd walls'o'f saidca'rto'n wi1l'bes up-` portedv againstundesiredA bulging'A while tle' vclosure -apsf the'reofl'arec'los'e'dand securedclosed.

2. Im apparatus ofi the type described having l'a'supp'cuiti frameadapted to receive a'ndns'upportza -iillcdxcartm pair-ofoppositelyandfvrticallydisposed carton-Isidepresi` sure plates' carried'by said trame;- at least one or said plates being attached to said framefor movement toward moving said one plate; the combination therewith ofa rst arm pivotally connected' to one end of said plate, 'a second armslidably connected to the other end of said one plate, said rst armbeing normally parallel to and in alignment with said one plafe,s'aidsecond arm being disposed ata right angle to saidrone plate andhavng itsforward end substantiallyin'aligriihent`therwith, 'lever meansmountedfonsaid one .plate inconne'cte'd' rel'ationt'wit'h s'aid firstarm" 'and in engagementV Withsad-t'rame' adapted'upo'n movement of said,one' plate toward the other` of said plates to-pivot said rst armintoaright angled position 'with respect to 'saidone platetbemb'race an endof a'iilled carton supported ofnf'said'fiariie; andleveri'neans mountedon said frame and having a connected relation with said one plate andsaid second arm adapted upon movement of said one plate toward the otherof said platesto slide said Vsecond 'arm' forwardly to embrace 'theo'fhe'r' 'end 'of 'a lledarton supported by'said fam'e.

31 The"combinaftion set forth incla'im 2, said 'irst mentioned levermeans comprising an arm tbredlyv disposed' in 'relationv 'tojs'aid 'oneplate, la llever 'Having' one 'end "thereof'pivtally connected to' thecndof said' 'Xe'dly dis'- posed arm and having at its otherend' aroller'i'nengg'emerit with a frame supported tra'ckw'ay 'having an'arcuatel Ienti", 'a link hat/ing its' e'1ld`sl pivo'ta'lly 'connectedto said: lovin-"andtoa stub arm secured to' said 'first arm, said rollerbeing adaptedj't' travel along said trackway'and" alon'gtlhjercuatee'nd' thereof as said one plate' 'isi moved toward"the other of"said plates to`A cause said link topivotaliy ihove 'said stub arm andsaid rst arm, and spring' means' interconnectng'said lever a'nd saidlink with said frai'li'e adapted rupon movement of said one plate awayfrom 'the other of 'saidrplaltes to return said first arm toitsnc'rtrltillyV parallel and aligned' position with respect to said'onfeplate, saids'ec'ond mentioned lever means comprisin'ga lever arm''having'it'supper vend slidably and pivotally' connected to said secondarm,A having its lower end- Lslidably and pivotally' connected to saidframe', and having "an intermediate pivotal connection with a s'tubarr'rr'secure'dv to' said one plate. n

4; The" combination set forth in claim 3"c'omprisin'g, further, 'meansfor adjusting the degree of pivotal movement of said rst arm for a givendegree of movement of said dnefplte 'whereby said rst arm may be'pivoted'into embracing relation with the ends of' cartons of varyingwidtliwleh said one plateis' moved into engagement with the sides ofsaid cartons, said means comprising an adjustable connectionbetweensaidframe' and trackway permitting longitudinal' movement o'f the`latter with respect to the former, "and4l means for varying thceffective length of 'said lilik'.

5. Carton handling apparatus comprising a Ys'rlp'p'ort:A frarneg'arollererveyormoiitedthereon', al plate, means vertically positioningr saidpl'a'fei'wth 'esp'ectto' said 4frarn'e andf'adptiigfsaiu putcforriiovcutc'nt toward said con- Ivey'o'vr.v topress" against'a' sidewall 'o'f "a filled "carton dis'- posd' thereon an'dfo'r Anro'v'errrentaway from said conveyor,l an arm mounted on said plate, normal theretoand adjacent* one end tliere for 'reciprocal longitudinal movement,.means interconnecting. said arm and said Ifrar'i'eiatn'i4 :actuated bymoveneiiff 'said plate adapted upon movement of said plate toward saidframe to 'ex'- tend"s aid acros's`fsaid conveyor' to embrace an end wall'off `lilled"'cato'ir on said"eo'nveyor andy adapted upon mvenerlto'f"said'fplate'lwy fr'or'n"s'aid 'frame to with'- draitffsaidl 'hrontfof:tliepathfoitirovemeiit of a cartonv onsiaid'ooii'veyfor'fA 6;Carton 1handling' apparatus: "comprising :af 'support frame, a rollerconveyor mounted thereon, a plate,-'r'neans" verticallyipositioningrsai'd platefwithrespect "toisa'd frame andi-adapting=saidpldtefor movement toward'- @saidrc'nf vey'r' Ltoipr'ess'iagainstatsidewallfof-aJ-lled catn'tdi's# from said frame to swing saidarm out of the path of 10 movement of a carton on said conveyor.

7. Carton handling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said lastmentioned means embodying means for adjustment of the same to enablesaid arm to be swung transversely of said conveyor as the distance saidplate moves is varied in accordance with variations in the width ofcartons being handled.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BarrettIan. 5, 1937 Wright Aug. 9, 1955

